Decreasing levels of the fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae following inoculation into the sludge digester of a zero-discharge recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)

The manuscript addresses the control of bacterial disease-causing agent in a near-zero discharge aquaculture system which contains a novel solid removal unit. The bacteria studied is S. iniae, a significant disease-causing agent in aquaculture. The potential threat of disease outbreaks increases with the intensification of the culture system, such as the one described and analyzed in this study. This intensification is of high relevance to the industry, as it reduces environmental contamination due to fish production as well as enables fish culture in places distant from a natural water source.